Therapeutic device



Dec. 30, 1958 5 c. McKENZ|E 2,866,454

THERAPEUTIC DEVICE Filed Aug. 7, 1957 INVENTOR.

BY um Wavy Fm Unite States Patent 2,866,454 THERAPEUTIC DEVICE Stanley C. McKenzie, Lansing, Mich. Application August 7, 1957, Serial No. 676,786 3 Claims. (Cl. 128-132) This invention relates to a therapeutic device and more particularly to a device for aiding in the cure of micturition during the nighttime, this being not uncommon in children.

An object of the invention is to provide a device which is a therapeutic aid in accordance with the foregoing, the device shocking the child at the moment that urine begins to flow and thereby arousing the child. Clinical data has shown that regular arousing of a child, as by sounding a bell, at the time of urination will enable the child to overcome bedwetting. I have found that the application of a slight shock to the child further aids in arousing the child to a sufliciently conscious state so that the child may walk to the bathroom. Relying solely on an audible signal falls short of the more rapid treatment obtainable by my invention which features the application of harmless shock, either with or without the aid of an audible signal.

Other objects and features of importance will become apparent in following the description of the illustrated form of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a typical bed fitted with a therapeutic device in accordance with the invention, the electrical circuit being shown schematically;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l and Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the stacked parts of Figure 2.

In the accompanying drawing there is a typical bed which has a therapeutic device 12 in accordance with the invention operatively arranged therein and in the suggested relationship to the bedclothing. The first part 14 functions as a switch that is normally open, but which closes in response to the application of a liquid, as urine. The switch is made of a rubber or plastic sheet 16 disposed on the sheet 18 of the bed and covered with an absorbent sheet or panel 21). An electrical conductive panel 22, for example, a bronze wire mesh screen with a frame 24 around the edges, is disposed on absorbent sheet 20 and is covered by another absorbent sheet 26. The absorbent sheets may be of cotton or any other practical material. Electrically conductive panel 28 which is identical to panel 22 is superimposed over sheet 26 and is parallel to panel 22. In order to increase the conductivity of the urine, ordinary table salt is sprinkled on sheet 26. The final covering sheet 30 is on screen panel 28 so that the childs hips do not come into direct contact with the panel 28.

Rectangular, shock-administering panels 32 and 34 are placed in the bed 10 beneath the legs of the occupant of the bed. These panels are of electrically conductive material, as bronze screen with frames 36 and 38 around the edges thereof to prevent scratching.

An electrical circuit 40 is operatively connected with the switch part and the shock-administering means in the form of panels 32 and 34 and an audible signal schematically represented as bell 42. Electrical circuit 40 consists of a wire 44 attached by cable clamp 46 or some other means to screen panel 28 and to one side of the source of electrical potential. The source 48 is three 1 /2 volt dry cell batteries, although other sources of electrical potential may be used in circuit 40. Wire 50 extends from the other side of the source of electrical po tential and connects to a terminal of step-up transformer 52. The bell 42 is connected in wire 50. The other terminal of the low side of step-up transformer 52 has conductor 54 attached to it, this conductor being secured to the other electrically conductive screen 22.

The output terminals of transformer 52 have wires 56 and 58 connected to them and they are secured to shockadministering means 32 and 34 by battery clips 60 and 62, by clamps or by any other conventional means of making electrical conjunctions.

In use, the switch part and the shock-administering parts of the therapeutic device are installed in the bed as described. As soon as the switch part conductive screens 28 and 22 become wet, the switch begins to conduct and the electrical circuit 40 is energized. Bell 42 is sounded and the bed occupant receives a slight, harmless, but stimulating shock.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling Within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A therapeutic device to aid in the cure of micturition at nighttime in bed, said therapeutic device comprising a switch part composed essentially of a pair of superposed, electrically conductive panels, an insulating panel through which liquid is adapted to pass and located between said electrically conductive panels, an electrical circuit having circuit wires connected respectively to said conductive panels, a source of electrical energy connected to one of said wires, a transformer having input and output terminals, said input terminals connected to said source of electrical potential and to the other of said circuit wires, means connected with said transformer for applying a shock to the bed occupant in response to closing of said electrical circuit, said shock applying means including a pair of electrical conductors connected to said transformer output terminals, and a pair of leg contacting flat electrically conductive panels operatively connected to the last mentioned conductors.

2. In a device to facilitate the treatment for micturition during the nighttime and in bed, said device including a switch part which is adapted to close in response to the application of liquid, a circuit operatively connected to said switch part and including a source of electrical potential, the improvement comprising means responsive to the conducting of said circuit for applying a shock to the bed occupant, said means including a transformer wired in said circuit and having output terminals from which a voltage that is high compared to the input voltage is obtainable, electrical conductors connected to said output terminals, and flat electrically conductive members attached to said conductors and adapted to be disposed in the bed under the legs of the occupant.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein there is an audible signal device operatively connected in said circuit and adapted to be energized in response to energization of said circuit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,648,197 Roadhouse Nov. 8, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS 680,088 Great Britain Mar. 1, 1951 OTHER REFERENCES Nocturnal Enuresis, British Medical Journal, Number 4666, June 10, 1950, pp. 1345 and 1346 relied on. (Copy in Division 55.) 

